


The Photograph

by ellymango



Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Main Video Game Series), Pocket Monsters: Ruby & Sapphire & Emerald | Pokemon Ruby Sapphire Emerald Versions
Genre: Body Image, Domestic Fluff, Feels, Fluff, Fluff and Hurt/Comfort, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Memories
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-22
Updated: 2016-04-22
Packaged: 2018-06-03 18:44:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,257
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6622048
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ellymango/pseuds/ellymango
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Whilst clearing out the attic, Steven discovers an... unusual photograph.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Photograph

"Where do you want me to put this box, love?"

Wallace glanced over his shoulder to see which box Steven meant. "Uhhh... oh just leave it in the pile. Wait, what’s in it?" 

Steven lifted the lid, huffing on the dust that rose with it. “Just old photographs by the looks of it.”

“Ah, just leave it in the pile then. We can organise them properly later."

"Alright." Steven tramped down the ladder, box squeezed under his arm. Tidying out an attic was never an easy feat, _especially_ given the fact that _some_ people were chronic hoarders. And, unfortunately for them, Juan just so happened to be one of those people. They’d been ploughing through his never-ending stash of boxes and washing bags for nearly _six_ hours now, with only short 10 minute or so tea breaks to save them from death by boredom and dust inhalation. 

The pile of boxes on the landing had only existed for about an hour so far, yet had already grown so large that moving any further than one metre from the base of the ladder was impossible. And Juan said he didn’t have a hoarding problem. _Tch._

After adding the latest box to a ledge on the pile, Steven had turned around to face the ladder when his elbow knocked one of the boxes perched precariously on the tip of the pile. He tensed, shoulders arching and lips pursing to contain that sudden pang of frustration.

Wallace peeped down from the attic. "Did something fall?"

Steven sighed out his sudden little fit, idly poking at the spilled photographs with his foot. “What do you think?”

“Oh, don’t kick them...! Hold on, I’ll come down...” 

With another, more disgruntled sigh, Steven bent over to gather up the photographs. Most of them showed complete strangers, former league members, younger versions of current league members, blurry photos of indistinguishable people, landscapes, and...

Well, he hadn't been expecting to find... _this_ in with all those other photos.

The photograph in his hand showed a younger Wallace, possibly in his late teens, his back to the camera yet his face angled enough to see his content smile and soulful eyes, standing by a tranquil lake in the middle of a forest. A shimmering, translucent orange scarf draped elegantly over his arms, covering his body from his lower back down to his knees...

_Other than that, there was not a single stitch of clothing on him._

"Oh... I, ah... see you found those old things..." Steven spun round to see a blushing and awkwardly smiling Wallace peering at the photo he had in his hand. Steven swore he heard him mutter, “I thought I threw those away years ago...”

"There are more of them?" 

"Yes... they were part of a shoot.” 

“Well... I don’t think the other ones are here...”

“Ah, that’s... good...” Wallace seemed abnormally agitated, eyes darting around and head bowing and shaking from side to side. “It... it wasn't what you think, it was all for a charity calendar I swear..." His words came out rushed and slightly stammered.

"Alright, calm down, calm down..." Steven adjusted his grip on the photo, and laid his hands on Wallaces arms, squeezing just below his shoulders. He could feel him trembling. “Look at me, look at me...” When Wallace kept his head directed to the floor, Steven cupped his chin, thumbing his cheek tenderly and shushing him softly. “If it helps, I, uh... I actually knew that."

That got Wallace to look at him immediately. "Wait, you did?"

Steven scratched his cheek awkwardly. "Yes, I ah..."

Wallaces blush dissipated with his sudden shocked smile. "Don’t tell me you actually bought it?"

It was Stevens turn to blush now. "... I did." He held his hands up guiltily. “In my defence, I was 18 and trapped in school. And all the other boys had their, err... special calendars too.”

Wallace had to contain his laughter behind a cupped hand, cheeks puffing out in glee. "Oho, my. I don’t blame you then.” He knew enough about Stevens school days to know how... sexually frustrating they had been. 

“Oh, and it _was_ for charity.” Steven nodded in a mock matter-of-fact tone. 

“Oh how...” He poked Steven playfully in the ribs. “Noble of you.”

They were both laughing now, in sniffly snorts and grins. Steven gradually slowed down to look back at the photo, a nostalgic twinkle in his eyes.

"You know, had someone told me back then that one day we’d be married... I would not have believed them at all." 

“Is that right...?” Wallace had dropped his voice down significantly, and he shuffled over to look at the photograph.

“Indeed...” Steven eyed Wallaces face from the side, a tender smile playing on his lips as he admired the sheer majestic beauty of his partner. Even in the dismal lighting of the lone bulb in the attic above, there was still something... ethereal about Wallaces appearance. Something magical. Something utterly enchanting.

“And you know...” he curled his finger under Wallaces chin, gently guiding his face until their eyes met. “Had somebody told me, all those years ago, that someday we would not only be married, but that you would be even more beautiful than I could ever fathom...” He slipped his hand into Wallaces, bringing it up to his lips and lightly kissing his knuckles. “Why, I would have laughed them into next week.”

Wallace swayed, that blush returning again, yet this time he had a humble smile to accompany it as he retrieved his hand. "Oh goodness, I wasn't _that_ good looking... just look at me." He held the photo up to his face and scoffed. "I look so awkward and... and look at how bony my back is...! And... and my hair is too long, and it looks so ratty when it’s that curly...” There were tears dancing in his voice as he stopped for a breath, jaw hanging open slightly and quivering. 

“Wallace...” Steven placed his hand on Wallaces back just below his neck, rubbing it gently to and fro. “Look at me, look at me...” His hands rested on Wallaces shoulders as he meekly turned and lifted his tear-damp face to Steven.

"You may see all those things when you look at those photographs. You may think that you looked bony or ratty. But to me, all those years ago..." Stevens hands slipped up the column of Wallace neck as he cupped his cheeks. _"You were the most wonderful thing my eyes had ever seen."_

"Oh hush..." A hint of a smile returned as Wallace flushed a soft rosy pink.

“No, no, I’m not done yet...” Steven pulled Wallace down to tenderly kiss his cheeks, alternating between them with each line. “And you know... even after all these years... I don’t think I could imagine anyone lovelier than you.”

Wallace said nothing, though the smile on his face grew ever brighter and more humbled as Steven continued. “And I know you may think that your looks will deteriorate with age, but you know what?” He sealed his lips over Wallaces, lingering long enough for him to feel his breathing and pulse slow to a calmer and more at ease pace, before pulling back and thumbing away the tears below his eyes. “Beauty like yours my dear... is _eternal.”_

Wallace could all but laugh shyly in response, eyes at the floor again and grinning gently. “Steven, I... you...” He bent down, pressing his forehead against Stevens, eyes slipping shut. “Thank you...”

“It was my pleasure, my darling...”

**Author's Note:**

> This started as a 400 word ficlet.
> 
> I don't know what happened.


End file.
